A heritage group's proposal to construct a visitor center in the garden of David Bowie's childhood home in Bromley has met with opposition from local residents. The plan, put forward by a heritage group, has sparked concerns among neighbors regarding the scale of the proposed building and its potential impact on their properties.
Ruth Dickie, who lives next door to the former Bowie residence, expressed distress over the plans. The proposed visitor center, measuring 14 square meters and standing 3 meters tall, would be situated adjacent to her garden fence, rising nearly a meter above it. Dickie stated that she felt "sick" since the announcement of the plans and is contemplating leaving her home, which she shared with her late husband.
"He had Parkinson's and dementia so this was a safe place for him. The garden here was our solace. I pottered while he sat," she said, highlighting the personal significance of the space.
In response to the concerns, the heritage group stated that the visitor center's design is in line with other garden buildings in the vicinity and was created "explicitly designed to reduce our impact on nearby properties." They added that by keeping visitors on-site and briefed within an enclosed building, and limiting their time in the garden, the proposal aims to reduce both visual and auditory disturbances for the neighbors.
